University Centers for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Service

The National Service Inclusion Project is a project of the Institute
for Community Inclusion, a University Center for Excellence in
Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCED).
UCEDs work to accomplish a shared vision that foresees a nation in
which all Americans, regardless of their abilities, participate fully
in their communities. Independence, productivity, and community
inclusion are key components of this vision.

There are 67 UCEDs located throughout the United States. They work
with people with disabilities, members of their families, state and
local government agencies, and community providers on projects that
provide training, technical assistance, service, research, and
information-sharing, with a focus on building the capacity of
communities to sustain all of their citizens.

The National Service Inclusion Project awards mini-grants to UCEDs
to cultivate working relationships among disability organizations, CNCS
grantees, and CNCS state offices and state commissions. UCEDs provide
national service program sites with information on how to better engage
persons with disabilities as active service members and volunteers. In
many states, UCEDs serve as a gateway to disability organizations,
consumer advocacy groups, service providers, and public agencies on
state and local levels.